IN HOC SIGNO VINCES

Security operations in Diyala kill fourteen IS militants: Military

Diyala – Fourteen Islamic State militants were killed in a security operation in Diyala, according to Iraqi military.

In a statement on Saturday, the Defense Ministry’s War Media Cell said “fourteen IS militants were killed in Wadi Thilab, in Imam Wees region, Diyala.”

Earlier on Saturday, the Dijla Operations Command announced launch of military operations in northeast of Diyala.

“Joint troops of police, army and al-Hashd al-Shaabi (Popular Mobilization Forces), backed by Iraqi fighter jets, launched military operation to end IS presence in regions between Neft Khana and Khanqeen,” Maj. Gen. Mazhar al-Azzawi, said in a statement.

On Friday, the command said Iraqi warplanes launched airstrikes killing fifteen IS militants, northeast of al-Khalawiya region, near Hamreen lake, northeast of Baquba.

Around fifty IS militants were killed in sporadic airstrikes that targeted pivotal havens and sleeper cells of the group in northeast of Diyala, Awwad al-Rubai’e, head of the security committee of Abu Sayda council, said in remarks last week.

Attacks launched by Islamic State militants against security troops, the pro-government forces and civilians surged over the past few weeks in northeast of Diyala, which urge the Iraqi forces to prevent the militants infiltration between Salahuddin and Kirkuk provinces, especially the regions stretching along Hamreen mountains and Al-Azeem town.

IS holds pivotal regions that link between each of Diyala, Salahuddin and Kirkuk, posing threats to the liberated regions.

After declaring victory in Mosul, the government and military commanders are expected to wage operations at other IS havens across the country, including Diyala, in order to mark an end to the group’s self-styled “caliphate” declared by the group in 2014.